The New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme

The new and updated capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES), which was introduced in the 2023-2024 Budget, intends to expand Hong Kong's talent pool. It is one of eight policy initiatives outlined in the Financial Services and Treasury Bureau's Policy Statement on the Development of Family Office Businesses in Hong Kong, which was announced in March 2023.

Eligibility Criteria

• • Age - aged 18 or above at the time of applying for net asset assessment to Invest Hong Kong
  
  • Net assets –demonstrating that he/she has net assets or net equity to which he/she is beneficially entitled with a market value of not less than HK$30 million Net (or equivalent in foreign currencies) throughout the two years preceding the date he/she lodged the application for net asset assessment;
  
  • Nationality
  ○ foreign nationals
  ○ Chinese nationals who have obtained permanent resident status in a foreign country;
  ○ Macao Special Administrative Region residents; or
  ○ Chinese residents of Taiwan;
  
  • Investment in permissible investment assets – makes investment of not less than HK$30 million Net (or equivalent in foreign currencies) in the permissible investment assets to which he/ she is absolutely beneficially entitled;
  
  Types of Permissible Investment Assets
  
  Highlights of the investing criteria that apply to particular categories of permissible financial assets are as follows:
  
  
  Certificates of deposit, subordinated debts, debt instruments, and equities must all be traded or denominated in Renminbi or Hong Kong dollars.
  
  Equities have to be listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
  
  Debt securities must be listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, issued or guaranteed by the Exchange Fund, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or other designated agencies or entities that are either wholly or partially owned by the Government or by businesses that are listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
  
  The maximum amount that can be invested in certificates of deposit is HK$3 million.
  
  A maximum of HK$10 million applies to all investments made in ownership interests in private LPFs and private open-ended fund companies through qualified collective investment schemes.
  
  
  Portfolio Maintenance Requirements
  
  The applicant must abide by the rules' specifications for portfolio maintenance, which include:
  
  
  The following types of eligible financial intermediaries must handle the account where the permissible financial assets are deposited:
  
  • Designated as an authorized institution under the Banking Ordinance (Cap. 155 of the Hong Kong Laws);
  • Company authorized by the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) to conduct Type 1 or Type 9 regulated activities; or
  • Under the terms of Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Insurance Ordinance (Cap. 41 of the Laws of Hong Kong), an insurer is allowed to do Class C business.
  
  The applicant may keep up to three accounts, each associated with one of the aforementioned financial intermediary categories.
  
  
  The applicant's name must appear on the account used to store the permissible financial assets.
  
  
  The applicant is not permitted to take any capital gains if the market value of the permissible investment assets increases above HK$30 million. On the other hand, cash dividend income, interest income, and rental income from the approved investment assets may be withdrawn by the applicant.
  
  • No adverse record – demonstrates that he/she has no adverse immigration record and meets normal immigration and security requirements; and
  
  • Others Financial support documents – demonstrates to the Director of Immigration that he/she is capable of supporting and accommodating himself/herself and his/her dependents, if any, on his/her own without relying on any return on the Permissible investment assets, employment, self-employment, office, business or public assistance in or carried on in Hong Kong as the case may be. In addition, the entry of dependents will be subject to any other policy applicable to such entry at the time.
  

Application Procedure:

• 1. Verification of Net Asset Assessment
  2. Approval of Entry Application
  3. Assessment on Investment Requirements
  4. Formal Approval of Entry Application (Maximum stay of 2 years with Dependants)
  5. Assessment on Portfolio Maintenance Requirements
  6. Extension of Stay
  7. Permanent Residence or Unconditional Stay in Hong Kong
  

Notes:

• Nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba, and Democratic People's Republic of Korea are to be excluded. Stateless persons who have obtained permanent resident status in a foreign country with proven re-entry facilities will be eligible under the Scheme.